CINCINNATI -- Just as the Reds have played themselves back into contention for the final National League Wild Card spot, important reinforcements are ready to rejoin their bullpen.
During Thursday's off-day, Cincinnati activated right-handed pitchers Chase Burns and Graham Ashcraft from the 15-day injured list. Right-handers Lyon Richardson and Yosver Zulueta were optioned to Triple-A Louisville.
Burns is 0-3 with a 5.24 ERA in eight big league starts during his first professional baseball season before going on the IL with a Grade 1 right flexor strain on Aug. 15, retroactive to Aug. 12.
The 22-year-old Burns last pitched on Aug. 8 vs. the Pirates and got a no-decision during a 3-2 Cincinnati loss to the Pirates. Over six innings, he allowed one earned run and three hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
In four of his past five starts (the one exception being the rain-suspended Speedway Classic on Aug. 2), Burns has recorded 10 strikeouts. He's one of three Major League pitchers since 1893 (Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 and Bob Feller in 1936) with 10 or more K's in four of their first eight career starts.
The Reds will use Burns in the bullpen, but it's highly likely that his usage will come with restrictions as a precaution -- such as not working back-to-back days.
Ashcraft, 27, went on the IL Aug. 27 (retroactive to Aug. 25) because of a right forearm strain.
Predominantly used in high-leverage situations during the seventh and eighth innings this season, Ashcraft has a 3.72 ERA in 53 appearances with 56 strikeouts over 58 innings. A former starter who was moved into a bullpen role during Spring Training this year, he has stranded 17 of his 21 inherited runners this season while retiring 36 of 53 first batters faced.
The Reds, which opened their three-city road trip by winning two of three games from the Padres at Petco Park, resume play in Sacramento on Friday, when they begin a three-game series vs. the Athletics.